Car-coupling.



No. 630,82. Patented Aug. 1, I899.

W. B. THOMAS.

CAR COUPLING.

liu 11 led Mar. 12, 1898; (No Model.) 4 Sheeis8heet I.

No. 630,82. Patented Aug. I, I899. W. B. THOMAS.

CAR. CUUPLING.

pp n filed Mar. 12, 1898. Mum) 4 Sheets-Slwt 2.

1 lake-"FF" n I i ki lillli I. I? mm \flgAr No. 630,|32. V Patented Aug. I, I899. W. B. THOMAS.

CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed Mar. 12, 1898.) Modem v 4 Sheets-Shau! 4.

Ml f name STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALTER B. THOMAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MCCONlVAY & TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

srnor'rrcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,132, dated August '1, 1899.

Application filed March 12, 1898. Serial No. 673156Z- (N model.)

To LtZZ whom it may concern.- the lock and make it more secure, and in Be it known that I, WALTER B; THOMAS, a the various other combinations and details citizen of the United States, residing at Chiof construction hereinafter pointed out and cage, in the conntyof Cook and State of Illiclaimed. 5 nois, have invented certain new and useful In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front eleva- Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the tion, partly broken away to disclose the effectfollowing is a specification. ive parts more completely, of a coupler em Theinvention relates tothatspecies ofcoupbodying my invention. Fig. 2' is a top plan lers known as the Master Car-Builders view, partly diagrammatic, of said coupler; 10 type, and in essential features is practically Fig. 3, a side elevation, also partly diagramautomatic in looking, unlocking, and openmat-ic; Fig. 4, a horizontal section thereing the knuckle, dispensing with springs, through on the line 4t 4111 Fig. 3; Fig. 5, edge keys, and bolts and with the usual beveled and side elevations of a guard-disk for the bracket to support the lifting-rod in unlocklifting-rod with a fragmentary enlarged de- :5 ing. By automaticitisintended to imply tail thereof; Fig. 6, a fragmentary detail of that the locking is entirely automatic, while the knuckle-locking arm and its inclined the raising of the lifting-rod unlocks and augroove with a section through the locking-letomatically throws open the knuckle in one ver to show the inclined rib; Fig. 7, fragmovement. In this construction only five mentary details, in top plan and cross-sec- 7o 20 movable pieces are usedto wit, the drawtion, of the knuckle-locking arm to explain head, the knuckle, the locking -lever, the the notch therein. Fig. 8 is a side elevation pivot-pin, and the lifting-rod-and strain of the coupler, including the buffer-beam, to comes upon the first four of these alone and show the arrangement and connection of the practically upon the first three, which are so lifting-lever. Fig. 0 is a horizontal section 25 arranged that they will hold the parts tothrough the coupler upon the correspondgether even if the pivot-pin be broken. ingly-numbered line in Fig. 3; and Fig. 10 is The invention consists, in general terms, in an inside elevation of the front plate or wall combining with the knuckle and its rearof the chambered draw-head, showing the v wardly-projecting locking-arm a locking-leguide. Figs. 11 and 12 are detail views of 3o ver so arranged and controlled that it falls the guideway.

over and locks the knuckle when the latter A represents the draw-bar, having its prois closed, but tips and exerts leverage on the jeeting head A formed to afford a chamber knuckle to open it when raised by the liftingor casing and bearings for the knuckle and rod, in combining with the knuckle and its other parts of the coupler. 5 rearwardly-projectinglocking-arm alocking- B is the knuckle, swinging on pivot-pin b lever and tripping devices for said lever, and having a locking-arm B, closing into the whereby when the lever is raised it may be casing. This locking arm is notched or shiftedupon supports above said locking-arm grooved at b for the reception of a tongue and held out of locking engagement therefrom the locking-lever, as explained below. 40 with, in combining with the knuckle and its The rear end or tailof the locking-arm is bevrearwardly-projectinglocking-arm a lockingeled, as at If, and the rear wall of the charm lever having a depending push-arm, a combereddraw-headhas a beveled buffing-lug B pound curved guideway, anda fixed fulcrummatching the bevel upon the locking-arm to stop for saidlocking-lever, whereby the pushresist endwise thrust upon the knuckle. 010- 5 arm is caused to act against the tail of the viously the fit must not be so snug as to prelocking-arm in the direction of its path of vent the knuckle from swinging open upon opening movement, in forming the knuckleits pivot, and obviously, also, the bevels need locking arm with a groove inclined in a dinot be plane faces, but may be described on rection opposed to the direction of draft and arcs concentric with the axis of movement of I00 50 the locking-lever with a coacting rib, wherethe knuckle.

by strain upon the knuckle tends to tighten C is the locking-lever, located in a guidedown past said arm'to lock the knuckle against,

opening. A rib 0 upon the inner face of the block takes into the groove 1) in the lockingarm and serves to prevent the knuckle being.

withdrawn in case the pivot -pin breaks. The groove is advisably made somewhat inclined from the vertical, as is the rib also, so

as to prevent the locking-lever from working up and out ,of engagement by friction. The inclination is away from the direction of strain on the knuckle, so that such strain will only tend to make the look more secure.

.A red D serves to raise the locking-lever in its guideway to disengage the knuckle, and since theqlever is to be so controlled that its push-arm Will-force the knuckle open by being swung against the back of the lockingarm of said knuckle this lifting-rod is to be attached at d above the depending engaging block of said lever and'mnst have sufficient play in its guide-opening to permit the somewhat involved swinging movement of the lever,.as presently to be described. Therefore to close this guide-opening and keep out dirt the lifting-rod is passed through a sufficiently close-fitting oblate disk D, which for convenience in applying may be made in halves tongued and grooved-atd, and united at the periphery by dovetailed clips (P, at-.

tached to one of the sections and taking-into corresponding dovetailed recesses d in the other, as shown in the edge elevation and in the enlarged detail.

The rod D, which may be called the liftingrod, is raised by-the lifting-lever D which is practically abell-crank, shown as mounted in horizontal bearings upon the front of the buffer-beam B and having the horizontal arm (1 flexibly connected with the head of the lifting-rod, While the pendent arm or hand-1e d normally hangs parallel with the end of the car and rests against the front face of the butterbeam or whatever part of the car it is mounted upon. Except when actuated to disengage the knuckle this lever-arm will always be in a pendent position whether the knuckle is locked or unlocked.

The engaging block of the locking-lever travels in a gnideway of peculiar outline. First, itcurves up and over toward the pusharin-of the lever, as at E in Fig. 1, so as to swingthe lever end of the push-arm against the locking-arm of the knuckle. Second, it curves upand inward, as at E in Fig. 3, to give a resultant movement to the push-arm, causing-it to follow the arc of movement of said lockingarm as it kicks it open. To bring suflicient leverage upon the push-arm infthisactiom'alug F is extended rearward from the horizontal member of the lockinglever adjacent to this push-arm and countersunk upon its upper side to engage with a conical fulcrum-stop F after the lever has been lifted bodily some little distance, thus positively stopping the push-arm from further ascent and causing it to forcibly describe the resu-ltant movement above referred to. This pushing capacity of the locking-1e ver will be utilized whenever the knuckle is to be thrown open for the purpose of coupling with cars backing down upon its own car or toward which the latter is being shot or backed, the draft of the train opening the knuckle when a car is simply being dropped or kicked in switching or yard work; but it often happenst-hat it is necessary or desirable to unlock the knuckle when there is no strain upon it to p 11 it open, as when atrain is at astandstill, and leave it unlocked until the cars in front are started. For this purpose it is necessary that the locking-lever shall not come in contact with the vertical fulcrum, but shall be lifted only so far that it can be shifted upon supports above the locking-arm of the knuckle, and that means for such shifting shall be provided. Accordingly the rear upper surface of the lockingarm adjacent to the push-arm is provided wit-ha socket G, which is carried down and out through the back of the locking-arm, with afiar-ing opening g, so that dirt and debris may be discharged, and the adjacent side of the push-arm is provided with a downward projection G, terminating in an inclined engaging shoulder g' at such point that when it rests in the socket the engaging blockat the other end of the lever will rest upon a ledge 9 out of engagement with the lockingarm. The knuckle will then be .,unl00;k ed,

but not open, vthough readily opened whenever strain is brought upon it, while the engagement of the locking-arm with the socket will be sufficient to prevent ordinary chance displacement and relocking. To cause the endwise movement of the locking-lever nec' essary'to bring it ,into this position, a tripstop H is located upon a vertical guide-rib H in position to engage the rearwardly-extending lug on the lever and push the lever over as it is lifted just sufficiently tocauseit when released to drop into the socket and upon the ledge. This trip-stop l-I alone is not sufficient for efiective work, since it is liable to twist the lever by one-sided action.

Therefore a second trip-stop H is located engaging block rests upon the above'mentioned ledge g the fulcrum-stop having the same agency as the trip-stops in shift-ing the position of the locking lever. When the knuckle is closed, its locking-arm strikes the shouldered projection upon the push-arm and pushes aside said arm and causes it to register with and drop through an opening K in the floor of the chambered draw-bar, releasing the engaging block from the ledge and permitting the locking-lever to drop and secure the knuckle. In case the lifting-rod breaks, or in any emergency, the coupling can be opened by lifting the protruding end of the push-arm.

The locking-lever can never drop behind the knuckle-locking arm, even should it fail to be shifted far enough to engage with the ledge g or should it be shaken off of such ledge by the jarring of the car, for the reason that the tail of the locking-arm never passes entirely from beneath the lockinglever. Consequently should said lever fall from the ledge the engaging block will rest upon the locking-arm in rear of the inclined groove therein and in position to fall into and engage with said groove whenever the knuckle is closed. This limitation of movement of the locking-arm is due to a stop upon the knuckle, which comes against the side of the draw-head at 71;, while the tail of the lockingarm is still beneath the engaging block or that end of the locking-lever carrying the engaging block and prevents its further withdrawal.

Between the knuckle and the locking-arm extends a rib L, midway between the lugs of said knuckle, which rib is intended to fit between the lugs of an opposing coupler to prevent uncoupling by up-and-down movement and to help carry the weight of the car in case the truck breaks down or jumps the track. In case the rear draft attachments give way under strain and the knuckle fails to unlock, and the coupler is therefore pulled out entirely, it will be supported and prevented from falling upon the track by this rib between the lugs and the locking-arm resting between the lugs of the knuckle on the opposing coupler and the corresponding rib upon the latter knuckle resting between the lugs of the knuckle on the coupler pulled out; but ordinarily whenever the draft attachments give way the strain of the lifting-lever on the lifting-rod and through that upon the locking-lever will release the knuckle and it will open, uncoupling from the adjacent car before the coupler is pulled out or so far torn from its fastenings as to be in danger of falling upon the track.

The push-arm may be operated, but not as effectively, by employing the curved guide (shown in Fig. 1) and omitting the secondary curve, (shown in Fig. 3,) the other parts remaining the same.

I claim 1. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm having rearwardly inclined groove, of the engaging block having rearwardly-inclined rib, the inclination of said groove and rib being opposed to the direction of draft.

2. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm having a rearwardly-inclined groove, of the locking-lever having an engaging block with a rearwardly-inclined rib arranged to drop between said locking-arm and the proximate wall of the chambered drawhead when the knuckle is closed, to lock it against opening.

3. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm having a rearwardly-inclined groove, of the locking-lever carrying an engaging block at one end to bar the movement of said locking-arm, said block having a rearwardly-inclined rib, and having a depending push-arm at the other end, the ledge in the chambered draw-head, for the support of the block, a trip-stop to shift the locking-lever endwise, and means for lifting said lockinglever.

4. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm having a socket in its rear upper face, of the locking-lever carrying an engaging block to bar the movement of said locking-arm and having a depending arm with a shoulder to engage said socket, the ledge for the support of said block, a trip-stop to shift the locking-lever, and the lifting-rod.

5. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm having a groove in its front face and a socket at its rear, of the lockinglever carrying an engaging block having a rib to enter said groove, and a depending arm with a shoulder to engage said socket, the ledge for the support of the engaging block, a trip-stop to shift the locking-lever and the lifting-rod.

6. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm, of the locking-lever carrying an engaging block at one end to bar the opening of the knuckle, and a downwardly-projecting push-arm at the other end, and said locking-lever having a projection at its rear and a shoulder at its front, the ledge in the chambered draw-head, and the two ribs and trip-stops arranged to coact with said projection and shoulder to shift the locking-lever upon the ledge.

7. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm having a socket in its rear upper face, of the locking-lever carrying an engaging block to bar the opening of the knuckle and having a depending arm with a shoulder to engage said socket, a rearward projection and a trip-shoulder at its front, the ledge in the chambered draw-head, and the two ribs and trip-stops arranged to coact with the rearward projection and trip-shoulder, to shift the locking-lever upon the ledge and into engagement with the socket.

8. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm, of the locking-lever having an engaging block at one end and a push-arm at the other end, means for lifting said lever, and a compound guideway for said lever as it is lifted, whereby the push-armis thrust against the locking-arm to open the knuckle.

9. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm, of the locking-lever having an engaging block at one end and a depending push-arm at the other end, means for lifting said lever, means for guiding the block endof the lever as it is lifted, in a compound curve and a fulcrum-stop for the push end of the lever, whereby the push-arm is caused to move in a path corresponding with the path traveled by the locking-arm as the knuckle is opened.

10. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm, of the locking-lever having an engaging block at one end and a depending push-arm at the other end, means for lifting the lever, means for guiding the block end of the lever as it is lifted to guide the push-arm against the locking-arm, to open the knuckle, a ledge for the support of the block end, and a fulcrum-stop for the push end, arranged to swing the push-arm against at the other end, the doubly-curved guideway for the engaging block, the fulcrum-stop, and

the lifting-rod.

12. The combination with the knuckle and its locking-arm, of the locking-lever having an engaging block at one end, a push-arm on the other, and a rearwardly-extending countersunk lug adjacent to said push-arm, the doubly-curved guide for said block, the lift ing-rod, and the conical fulcrum-stop.

13. The oblate disk or washer having a central opening, and made in two pieces united by tongue and groove and peripheral dove tailed clips and recesses.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W'ALTER B. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

J. BUEHLER, L. HANKE. 

